[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45867-45870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23040]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541)

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of permit applications received under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish 
notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated 
under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published 
regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 Part 670 
of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of 
permit applications received.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to these permit applications by September 25, 
1998. Permit applications may be inspected by interested parties at the 
Permit Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, 
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nadene G. Kennedy at the above address or (703) 306-1030.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-541), has 
developed regulations that implement the ``Agreed Measures for the 
Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora'' for all United States 
citizens. The Agreed Measures, developed by the Antarctic Treaty 
Consultative Parties, recommended establishment of a permit system for 
various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and 
certain geographic areas a requiring special protection. The 
regulations establish such a permit system to designate Specially 
Protected Areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
    The applications received are as follows:

[[Page 45868]]

Permit Application No. 99-003

    1. Applicant: Wayne Z. Trivelpiece, Department of Biology, Montana 
State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Take, Enter Site of Special 
Scientific Interest and Import into the U.S.A. The applicant is 
continuing a study of the behavioral ecology and population biology of 
the Adelie, Gentoo, and Chinstrap penguins and the interactions among 
these species and their principal avian predators: skuas, gulls, 
sheathbills, and giant petrels. The applicant proposes to band 1000 
Adelie and Gentoo penguin chicks, plus adults of all three penguin 
species, as needed (not greater than 150 per species), to fulfill 
research goals. In addition, bands will be applied to adults and chicks 
of the avian predator species as necessary. The applicant will continue 
a study of the penguins' foraging habits which involves the application 
of radio-transmitters (Txs), satellite tags (PTTs), and time-depth 
recorders (TDRs) to a maximum of 50 adult penguins per species. The 
study of foraging habits also involves the stomach pumping of a maximum 
of 40 adult penguins per species. Finally the applicant will collect 
one (1) milliliter blood samples from a maximum of 20 breeding adults 
of each penguins species for use in DNA analysis.
    The applicant also proposes to salvage carcasses and skeletons of 
penguins and Antarctic flying birds for import into the U.S. for 
educational and scientific study purposes. The salvaged specimens will 
be returned to Montana State University for public display and teaching 
aids in educational programs.
    Location: Admiralty Bay (SSSI #8), King George Island, South 
Shetland Islands.
    Dates: September 25, 1998 to April 1, 1999.

Permit Application No. 99-004

    2. Applicant: Donald B. Siniff, Department of Ecology, Evolution 
and Behavior, 100 Ecology Building, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 
Minnesota 55108.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Taking, Export from the 
U.S. and Import into the U.S. The applicant proposes to continue a 
long-term study of the Weddell seal population surrounding McMurdo 
Station by tagging, collection of blood, tissue and stomach samples and 
attaching VHF and satellite-linked radio transmitters. Up to 600 pups 
and 500 adult Weddell seals will be handled. Tags will be attached to 
all pups born into the McMurdo Sound population and tags will be 
replaced on those adults who have lost their tags. Blood and tissue 
samples will be collected for current and future research examining the 
behavioral ecology, paternity and genetic relatedness within and 
between seal colonies. Additionally, blood samples will be used for 
examination of blood hormones, blood chemistry and blood parasites and 
various health parameters. Stomach samples will be taken to supplement 
the scant data on Weddell seal prey species. These samples will be 
analyzed in McMurdo or returned to the home institutions in the U.S. 
VHF transmitters will be attached to the dorsal pelage of male seals 
using a marine epoxy. The transmitters will permit tracking of the 
seals local movements around the colonies and time spent above and 
below the surface throughout the 24 hour day, which may assist in 
correlating activity with paternity, as determined from the genetic 
data. The transmitters will be removed or will fall off during the 
annual molt. The satellite-linked radio transmitters will be attached 
to the dorsal pelage of adults and pups, which will allow tracking of 
the seals during the winter-over period. Demographic data collected 
over the years has shown that pups tagged within the study area are 
rarely seen for 4-5 years following tagging. The transmitters will help 
determine where the pups go and will also collect extremely rare data 
on the adult movements of seals during the winter-over months. Finally 
the applicant proposes to salvage parts of seal carcasses and import 
them into the U.S. for use in educational training and research. All 
captured seals will be released unharmed.
    Furthermore, the applicant proposes to export a skull of an 
Antarctic Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) from the University of 
Minnesota, through Los Angeles International Airport to McMurdo 
Station, Antarctica. This skull was salvaged from a dead seal found in 
McMurdo Sound in 1996 and shipped back to the United States. It is 
being returned for permanent display in the Crary Science and 
Engineering Center at McMurdo Station. The skull will serve as an 
education tool. This particular seal was tagged in 1971 and returned to 
McMurdo Sound to breed and give birth a minimum of 11 times. Displays 
such as this are helpful in educating the public to the benefit and 
productivity of a long term research program.
    Location: McMurdo Station and McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.
    Dates: October 1, 1998 to January 31, 2002.

Permit Application No. 99-005

    3. Applicant: Donald B. Siniff, Department of Ecology, Evolution 
and Behavior, 100 Ecology Building, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 
Minnesota 55108.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Taking, enter Site of 
special Scientific Interest and Import into the U.S. The applicant 
proposes to enter the White Island, Site of Special Scientific Interest 
No. 18, for the purpose of studying the Weddell seal colony. The White 
Island seal population has been a focus of interest dating to the early 
1960's. this group of seals represents a isolated population that is 
very small and the evidence suggests it has very limited exchange of 
individuals with the McMurdo Sound population. Since intensive 
censusing was begun in the late 1980's, no new untagged adults have 
appeared in the population. Thus, the genetics of this population is of 
interest because of the possibility of increasing the understanding of 
such concepts as inbreeding depression and genetic drift. all pups born 
in this colony since 1991 have been tagged, and in 1997 there was 
evidence of a pup born to an individual tagged as a pup in 1991. This 
observation supports the speculation of little or no emigration from 
the colony. The applicant proposes to set up a temporary camp at White 
Island that would be occupied by 3-4 people for up to one week in order 
to continue tagging seal pups and collecting tissue and blood samples 
for further study. The one week stay is long enough to ensure that each 
individual at the colony has been identified, which is vital to 
accurate predictions of population size and relatedness between 
individuals.
    Location: North-west White Island, McMurdo Sound (SSSI #18).
    Dates: October 1, 1998 to January 31, 1999.

Permit Application No. 99-006

    4. Applicant: Arthur L. DeVries, Ecology, Ethology & Evolution, 515 
Morrill Hall, University of Illinois, 505 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, 
Illinois 61801.
    Activity for Which Permits is Requested: Introduce Non-Indigenous 
Species into Antarctica. The applicant proposes to transport 15 New 
Zealand black cod (Notothenia angustata) to the McMurdo Station 
aquarium where the cod will be cold acclimated in a closed sea-water 
system. The cod will be used in experiments to determine the role of 
antifreeze glycopeptides in freezing avoidance and for isolating DNA. 
The DNA will be screened for the presence of an ``unexpressed'' 
antifreeze

[[Page 45869]]

glycopeptide gene. Sensitive blood serum freezing habit tests suggest 
that cold acclimated black cod synthesize small amounts of antifreeze 
glycopeptide after acclimation to +4 deg. C for 6 weeks.
    Some specimens will be injected with purified antifreeze 
glycopeptides to determine if the presence of the antifreeze 
glycopeptides in the circulation is sufficient to provide avoidance of 
freezing or if the antifreeze glycopeptides need to be integrated into 
the membranes of protected cells by synthetic processes. In addition, 
some specimens will be injected with small ice crystals and the fate of 
the ice determined.
    The integument of the cod will also be used in experiments to 
determine whether it is a barrier to ice propagation due to its 
physical properties or whether antifreeze gylcopeptides provide a 
physio-chemical barrier in conjunction with the integument. The brain 
lipids will also be analyzed to determined the degree of unsaturation 
of the phospholipid fatty acids. Upon completion of the experiments, 
the black cod will be sacrificed and preserved in formalin.
    Location: McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica.
    Dates: October 1, 1998 to February 27, 1999.

Permit Application No. 99-007

    5. Applicant: William R. Fraser, Biology Department, 310 Lewis 
Hall, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Taking, Enter Site of 
Special Scientific Interest and Enter Specially Protected Areas. The 
applicant is a participant in two long-term ecological research (LTER) 
programs in the western Antarctic Peninsula region. The focus of the 
research is to assess how annual environmental variability affects 
seabird diets, breeding success, growth rates, survival and 
recruitment, behavior, population trends, foraging success and seasonal 
dispersal. To accomplish these objectives, the applicant proposes to 
census populations; capture, mark, and weigh a select number of adults, 
chicks and eggs; and obtain diet samples through stomach lavage. The 
applicant proposes to enter the following specially protected areas:
    Dion Islands, Marguerite Bay (Specially Protected Area No. 8)--This 
site has the only known breeding population of Emperor Penguins in the 
western Antarctic Peninsula. The applicant proposes to conduct a census 
in order to update the population data available on this species, since 
a census has not been conducted in more than two decades.
    Litchfield Island, Arthur Harbor (Specially Protected Area No. 17) 
and Biscoe Point, Anvers Island (Site of Special Interest No. 20)--
These two sites near Palmer Station, Anvers Island, will serve as 
research control areas. The applicant proposes to enter Litchfield 
Island 2-3 times a week and Biscoe Point up to 5 times a season, for 2-
3 hours each visit, to census seabirds and seals and conduct habitat 
mapping. Heavily vegetated areas will be avoided.
    Avian Island, Marguerite Bay (Specially Protected Area No. 21)--
This site will serve as an alternate site in the Marguerite Bay region 
for obtaining Adelie Penguin diet samples and censuses during the 
annual Palmer LTER research cruise. The applicant proposes to obtain 
diet samples from 20-25 penguins to determine trends in diets and 
populations of this species in the Marguerite Bay region to determine 
if it differs from those in the Palmer Station region due to 
differences in annual sea ice conditions.
    Location: Dion Island (SPA #8) and Avian Islands (SPA #21), 
Marguerite Bay, Litchfield Island (SPA #17) and Biscoe Point, Anvers 
Island (SSSI #20).
    Dates: October 1, 1998 to April 30, 2002.

Permit Application No. 99-008

    6. Applicant: William R. Fraser, Biology Department, 310 Lewis 
Hall, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Taking; Import into the 
U.S. The applicant, during the course of normal research, occasionally 
encounters specimens of various species that have died of natural 
causes. The applicant proposes to salvage, on an opportunistic basis, 
specimens of seabirds and seals for import to the U.S. for use in 
museums and educational institutions.
    Location: Palmer Station, Anvers Island and vicinity.
    Dates: October 1, 1998 to April 30, 2000.

Permit Application No. 99-009

    7. Applicant: William R. Fraser, Biology Department, 310 Lewis 
Hall, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Taking; Import into the 
U.S. The applicant is a participant in two long-term ecological 
research (LTER) programs in the western Antarctic Peninsula region. The 
focus of the research is to assess how annual environmental variability 
affects seabird diets, breeding success, growth rates, survival and 
recruitment, behavior, population trends, foraging success and seasonal 
dispersal. To accomplish these objectives, the applicant proposes to 
census populations; capture, mark, and weigh a select number of adults, 
chicks and eggs; obtain diet samples through stomach lavage, place 
radio/satellite transmitters on some individuals to develop profiles on 
foraging effort and dispersal; and use developing GIS/GPS technologies 
to map and characterize breeding habitat features. The applicant 
estimates 1,700 Adelie penguins, 1,000 Chinstrap penguins, 200 South 
Polar Skuas, 100 Brown Skuas, 1,000 Giant Fulmars, 500 Blue-eyed Shags 
and 500 Kelp Gulls will be involved in various parts of the research 
effort. All seabirds will be released unharmed.
    Location: Palmer Station, Anvers Island and vicinity.
    Dates: October 1, 1998 to April 30, 2002.

Permit Application No. 99-010

    8. Applicant: Rennie S. Holt, Chief Scientist, AMLR Program, 
Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Taking, Import into the 
United States, and Enter Site of Special Scientific Interest. The 
applicant will be conducting ship-supported and land-based studies in 
the region of the Antarctic Peninsula. Studies encompassing census 
surveys, attendance, energetics, foraging, and long term monitory 
(censusing/tagging) of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) will 
be conducted at the AMLR Program campsite at Cape Shirreff, Livingston 
Island (Site of Special Scientific Interest No. 32), Seal Island and on 
the San Telmo Islands. Up to 80 adult and 1500 pups will be captured 
and tagged. In addition up to 40 female/pup pairs will be captured to 
quantify the foraging costs of maternal investment in pups associated 
with changes in foraging strategies observed. Energetic costs and 
benefits of different foraging patterns can be determined by 
simultaneous measurements of energy expenditure (isotope), food intake 
(isotope), dive depth, duration, time of day and dive frequency (via 
TDR's) swim speed (TDR), and foraging location (satellite transmitter). 
Attendance information collected from these instrumented females will 
address issues such as (a) prey availability and subsequent impact on 
females and pups, and (b) attendance-related factors of pup growth. 
Milk extraction and gastric lavage/intubation will be used for

[[Page 45870]]

energetic studies, providing trophic information.
    In addition the applicant proposes to salvage bones and carcasses 
of dead seals and other cetacean species found on shore for importation 
to the U.S. These materials will be stored at the Southwest Fisheries 
Science Center for education and research purposes.
    Location: Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island (SSSI #32), Byers 
Peninsula (SSSI #6), South Shetland Island, Antarctic Peninsula.
    Dates: October 31, 1998 to April 1, 2001.
Nadene G. Kennedy,
Permit Officer, Officer of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 98-23040 Filed 8-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M